1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a media processing device that performs specific processes such as writing data to disc-shaped media such as CDs and DVDs and printing on the label side of the media, and to a control method for the media processing device.
2. Related Art
Media processing systems for reading and writing data on disc media such as CDs and DVDs, and printing on the label side of the media, generally include a media processing device and a host computer.
This media processing device comprises a media drive for writing data to the media, a label printer for printing on the label side of the media, and a media transportation mechanism for holding and carrying the media to the media storage unit, the media transfer position of the media tray disposed to the media drive, and the media transfer position of the label printer. The host computer controls operation of the media drive, the label printer, and the media transportation mechanism in the media processing device.
In order to enable continuous processing of a large number of media, the media storage unit of the media processing device may include both a supply stacker and a discharge stacker. The supply stacker stores numerous blank media stacked vertically. The discharge stacker similarly stores numerous processed media in a vertical stack after the data writing process or label printing process is completed. See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-2000-260172 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-2002-056584.
The media processing device may execute various media transportation processes, including, for example, carrying the blank media stored in the supply stacker to the media transfer position of the internal media drive, and then carrying the processed media after the data writing process is completed in the media drive from the media transfer position of the media drive to the discharge stacker. The media may alternatively be carried after the data writing process is completed to the media transfer position of the internal label printer, and the processed media is then carried after the label is printed by the label printer from the media transfer position of the label printer to the discharge stacker.
As this media processing device continues operating and media are carried to the discharge stacker, the actual height of the media stack in the discharge stacker may exceed the maximum stackable height of the discharge stacker.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-H06-247617 teaches a full stacker detection device that detects if the number of printed sheets stored in the discharge stacker of a printer exceeds a certain level.
If the media transportation mechanism continues carrying media to the discharge stacker after the discharge stacker has become full, the transportation arm of the media transportation mechanism may collide with media stacked in the discharge stacker, possibly resulting in damage to the media transportation mechanism, damage to the stacked media, or damage to the media being carried to the discharge stacker, for example.